Opposition leader seeks to resign as Armenian parliament member

YEREVAN, June 21, / ARKA /. Former director of Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) Artur Vanetsyan, who has been head of the opposition Pativ Unem alliance’s faction in the parliament, has submitted an application to resign as MP, Tsovinar Khachatryan, a spokeswoman for parliament chairman Alen Simonyan, was quoted by local news outlets as saying.

In a Facebook post, Vanetsyan, who was one of the opposition’s more than a month-long campaign of disobedience to make PM Pashinyan resign, says that he does not see himself in this parliament anymore!

"The reason is obvious, the citizens of the Republic of Armenia had voted for us to stop the destructive policies of the incumbent government, to bring the country out of the disaster. However, in my opinion, this parliament has ceased to be an effective platform for achieving that goal. The executive board of my Hayrenik (Homeland) party has made a decision to continue its activities outside the parliament. By the decision of the party, de jure and de facto, the Pativ Unem alliance, made with the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) ceases to exist. As part of that alliance we have gone a relatively short but full path with our partners and, I am sure, we will continue that path for the salvation of the country in the future to heal and strengthen our country," Vanetsyan says. 

"Today we are on the verge of losing our homeland; we no longer have the right to make a mistake! There is no alternative to the struggle, as I have repeatedly said, today there are no party flags and dividing lines in the struggle for the Armenian people, for Armenia and Artsakh. This is our national struggle, and we, members of  Hayrenik party, will continue it together with our people," Vanetsyan says. -0-